So in your experience, it sounds like you’ve had more success investing in a more expensive market and building equity as opposed to cheaper, lower quality properties in places like the Midwest?

Check out David Meyers book Start with Strategy as a more updated text.

A new to the area 20 something with a strong local employer may be a more long term occupant. 

Here are two simple formulas to apply that will allow you to prove this out (look up the formulas, they are probably the most commonly used formulas in all of finance)Buying with a mortgage is a more efficient use of your money.

The results will help us develop a more tailored and effective rent-to-own program that addresses the needs and challenges of today's real estate market.

I’m looking to buy my first rental property soon and I’m not sure if I should get a hands on self managed property in Denver metro or a more affordable market out of state. 

Good morning everyone, My wife and I are trying to figure out if there is a more strategic way of purchasing my father in law's house with also giving him the capital to purchase his retirement home.  

With that equity you can be in a more landlord friendly state and split between cash flow and appreciation or expand into a small multifamily.

If you could track down the Final Order from the quiet title action (assuming there was one), you could get a more definitive answer to your question. 

So a more formal setting is usually better for me personally.